Schweizer G-164B accident near Dixon, California, March 7, 2002
On March 7, 2002 at about 8:17 pm local time, a Schweizer G-164B, registered N48631, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dixon, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot lost directional control due to the unsuitable landing area. A contributing factor was the muddy runway condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2002 · about 8:17 pm local time
- Place
- Dixon, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer G-164B
- Registration
- N48631 · no longer on the register · serial G4B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway during landing and came to rest inverted. The pilot had completed several flights using this runway earlier that day. To avoid mud puddles, he landed off of the runway center line. The right main gear grabbed into the soft dirt and the airplane departed the runway. During the accident landing there was a quartering tailwind.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,640 hours in all; 706 in this make and model; 143 in the last 90 days; 101 in the last 30 days; 1,438 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 4, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dixon CA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft; clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from VCB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.